Even Chinese in South Africa Considered ‘African Bumiputera’

The Chinese community in South Africa has only been established for 104 years (since 1904), compared to the Chinese in Malaysia who have been established for 600 years (since the 1400s, at the invitation of the Sultan of Malacca himself).

And yetthe South African Chinese are already accepted as equal citizens with full indigenous rights, while we are still not bumiputera even if 20 generations of our ancestors were born here!!!

A COURT has issued a landmark ruling classifying Chinese South Africans as black, making them eligible for benefits for those discriminated against under the former apartheid regime.

The ruling from the Pretoria high court came after the Chinese Association of South Africa (CASA) challenged their exclusion from laws aimed at redressing economic imbalances under white-minority rule, which ended in 1994.

CASA argued that Chinese citizens continue to be marginalised under the country’s black economic empowerment and affirmative action legislation.[Scott: Known as Dasar Ekonomi Baru over here]

Both laws benefit the country’s black, Indian and mixed-race communities.

“As Chinese South African we were officially classified as coloured during the apartheid era and suffered under the same discriminatory laws prior to 1994,” CASA chairman Patrick Chong said.

“The logical inference was thus Chinese South Africans would automatically qualify for the same benefits afforded to the coloured group, post 1994.”

The organisation has pressed government on the matter since 2000 in order to seek clarity on their racial classification.

4 Responses to “Even Chinese in South Africa Considered ‘African Bumiputera’”

It could work in South Africa if it is indeed true that the Chinese suffered under the apartheid. They can “rightfully” be put in the same category as the blacks if they suffered like the blacks, therefore deserving the same compensation. The Chinese were allegedly co-victims with the blacks because of the white supremacy.

However, in Malaysia, it’s a different story.

There may be some level of “apartheid-ism” in Malaysia, although at a much lower level compared to South Africa. If indeed the Chinese are controlling the country’s economy in Malaysia, then the Chinese are not the victims. The supremacy lies with the Chinese.

The indigenous people know that. It further strengthens the indigenous people’s case for affirmative action. So, no compensation on race status for Chinese. Tsk 😛

Maybe it could work if we can prove that the Chinese were co-victims with the Malays under… ummm… Indian supremacy? I dunno… Hehe

(Politically incorrect terms had to be used just for the sake of discussion)

BEIJING, June 20 — Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and a local recruiting agency were ordered by a Beijing court to compensate eight Chinese girls a total of 142,600 yuan (RM68,000) for failing to hire them as air stewardesses.

The Chaoyang court ruled yesterday that MAS and Beijing Foreign Airlines Service Corporation (Fasco) were liable and the girls would receive between 13,000 yuan and 24,000 yuan, the Beijing News reported today.

In a court hearing in December last year, the girls had asked for damages of over 400,000 yuan.

They said they were among 45 who responded to a Fasco notice in December 2004 to recruit air stewardesses for MAS and were informed by Fasco several months later that they were successful and would be sent to Kuala Lumpur for training.

MAS had argued that it had not entered into any contract with the girls while Fasco said it was asked by the airline to conduct a recruitment exercise.

Beijing News cited Fu Mengqing, the agent for MAS in the trial, as saying that the airline may appeal.

Ting Sie Hang, MAS regional manager for China, is currently on leave and could not be reached for comment. — Bernama